Commissioning a pre-purchase inspection
We inspect dealers, not individual machines. Those are different jobs, and a verified record is not a substitute for having the specific unit you intend to buy looked at by someone working for you.
- Filed by
- Ruth Kandiyoti
- Senior inspector, agricultural
- Published
- Length
- 2 min read
The distinction matters enough to state plainly. Our audit establishes that a dealer is licensed, insured, physically present, and honest in its dealings across the sample we reviewed. It says nothing about whether the particular tractor you are looking at has a tired transmission.
Who to hire
- Someone with no relationship to the seller. If the dealer recommends the inspector, find your own as well.
- Someone who works on that class of machine routinely — an automotive technician is the wrong person to assess a hydrostatic transmission or an RV’s house systems.
- Someone who will give you a written report with photographs, rather than a verbal impression on the day.
- Someone who will let you be present, or at least talk you through the findings afterwards.
What to ask for explicitly
Inspections vary enormously in depth. Name the items you want covered so the scope is not left to assumption.
| Class | Ask specifically for |
|---|---|
| Tractor | Hydraulic and transmission function under load, PTO engagement, fluid and filter condition, loader pin wear, hour meter consistency against service records |
| RV | Moisture readings through walls and floor, roof and sealant condition, appliance operation on both power sources, slide-out and awning cycling, tyre date codes, chassis and brakes |
| Car or truck | Diagnostic scan including stored and pending codes, compression or leak-down where warranted, undercarriage and structural repair evidence, brake and tyre measurements, road test |
Budget for the possibility of paying twice. If the first inspection surfaces something ambiguous, a second opinion from a specialist is cheaper than the repair you are trying to avoid.